No helmets – Why? Are they mad?

Big G – have a search on here. It has been he source of enough heated debates that most of us are sick of it. to give you something to ponder – from the CTC
Several recent reports (including four papers in peer-reviewed medical journals) have found no link between changes in helmet wearing rates and cyclists’ safety – and there are even cases where safety seems to have worsened as helmet-wearing increased.

Links to a lot of info about helmets – you will be suprised by how poor the evidence in general is and how very poor the case for helmets protecting against serious issues is.

glitchy glitch = where is my post\?

i never wear a helmet on the road, never have
i always wear a helmet offroad, always have.

Arrgghhh – my posts disappeared into the ether

TJ, no.

Just no.

Leave it mate.
It’s just not worth it. It’s like religion to some folk, you just have tolearn to accept it and move on…

Wow, never expected to get so many peoples back up, didn’t realise this has been gone over so many times. However, amazing how the ones that hate it so much cant keep away from it, eh TJ.

Isn’t there a tandem forum, seriously, that picture isn’t even that good, you need to stop showing it off!

Oh, and as for Crikey. Tisk tisk.

Yo bigG – indeed you win!
I’m with you brother……………TJ and the rest will bay on about individual choice until their last brain cell dies and they enter vegetative state induced by trauma. In the real world I work with people with brain injuries and I truly believe the refuseniks are already suffering from major cognitive impairment. No arguement. End of.

Errmm – both crikey and I also work / have worked with people with head injuries

Yes I know, and I do apologise for my unpleasant comment.

It’s just such a poor subject for any kind of debate; there are some people who think helmets are essential and some people who don’t, and the evidence for one or other view is not conclusive.

Given the lack of evidence one way or another, the assumption that not wearing a helmet is wrong or foolish is both wrong and foolish.

Hows about we call it a day on this subject.

Seems to have been gone over to many times already.

I have my opinion, as does everyone.

Signing off.

This forum’s actually had intelligent and worthwhile helmet discussions, which always amazes me.

This is not going to be one of them.

OP, you better not visit the Netherlands then…Millions of cyclists, only a handfull wear helmets… 😮

TJ, helmet deniers are like seatbelt refuseniks in the 70s (irrational and somewhat blind) and trying to produce research justifying this position reminds me of the ‘research’ produced by tobacco companies saying that smoking does no harm………..

and we’re off!

its all about the personal choice! I personally wouldn’t ride offroad without one. It’s rocky round here, and i like to give it beans on the descents, I don’t bother with a lid if i’m nipping to the shops or taking my son out round the park…. live and let live

It’s a perfect example of Darwinism in action

Let them make their personal choice

It’s a perfect example of Darwinism in action
Except it isn’t.
But you’re right about the choice bit.

dekadanse

I suggest you have a look at http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=4688

So why are helmet evangelists so offensive?

I am happy for people not to wear helmet… As long as they pay for their own NHS bills :p

yep weve had helmet discussion b4…you just get katty remarks back at you…. easy really : 1) wear a helmet it could save your life….
2) be a dummy-no helmet: trash yer head always a dummy. simples.
each to their own i guess..

in forests there are plenty of trees to damage your brain… 😥
on the roads..plenty of vehicles to smack your head against too ( you cant win).

” Wear a lid it could save your life ! 😉

So why are helmet evangelists so offensive?

so why are you so offended? 😉

elaine – but is there any evidence that is true?

…..’the truth is out there’ …go search for it 😉

CTC thinks that it should be up to you to decide whether you want to wear a helmet or not, and is opposed to making it compulsory.

All hail CTC 8)

I can’t believe people would do dangerous things like ride bikes fast down hills off road! Don’t they know that they could fall off and be injured or even seriously killed!

People should stick to riding on canal towpaths, for their own safety! While wearing a helmet and lifejacket.

Interesting links above. Stats aren’t much use when that one car refusing to abide by the statistical research, and pass me extra wide as i’m not wearing a helmet, smashes me into the pavement. In much the same way, if i’m mountain biking helmetless any research suggesting i’ll be more alert and careful won’t be of much use when the law of sod is applied. Each to their own, as long as my bonce is protected more if I fall.

*runs off to buy a life-jacket!*

but will it fit over my body armour?

Elaine – I suggest to you that I have – read the CTC links for some interesting info

Happy now

Canal towpaths !!!! I visited Londinium Town once and rode over a pile of cardboard on a towpath resulting in a tramp/cycle interface impact moment and some choice cockney lingo was thrown my way !!!! luckily I was wearing a helmet as he swung for me as I sped off on my dandy horse.

Dicing with death. Note Gnarly trail with huge dropoffs and rock gardens
[/url]
Tandem leaving Fealar Lodge[/url] by paul.newman4279[/url], on Flickr

riding sensibly and safely.

nice ! 😉

I slipped over in the shower once, banged my head. Don’t use the shower without a helmet kids…

whats a rotational injury ?

nice no hander tj 😉

what about working in a building site… should they stop wearing hats?

rotational injury:

your knees can be twisted so much that ligaments snap. this is a rotational injury, skis make them worse cos of the leverage.

your neck can be injured by rotation, wearing a helmet gives the input force a bigger lever with which to twist your neck.

what about working in a building site… should they stop wearing hats?

What’s your point caller?

Are you serious qwerty?

Awiles – thats not it – its injury within the skull – diffuse axon injury

Some data on it here
http://www.phillipshelmets.com/ROTATIONAL_HEAD_INJURY.htm

How much this is applicable to cycle helmets is debatable but there is a lot of data on it showing that cycle helmets can increase rotational forces and indeed perform worse in this aspect than other types of helmets. It remains controversial. Follow the CTC links to find out more. More reseach needed but I believe this is one of the reasons for the finding that head injuries do not decrease as helmet wearing rates increase